Dos à Dos
Dos à Dos is the title of the eighteenth chapter of Jun Mochizuki's The Case Study of Vanitas. Summary Vanitas recalls No. 71 questioning his hatred for "father" and his oath to steal Vanitas of the Blue Moon's power to kill all vampires. In the present, the battle with Moreau's research subjects continues. Roland and his chasseurs, Noé, and Vanitas encounter the Malnomen, Prédateur, the Shadow. Prédateur attacks Maria, who is saved from further injury by Noé. However, this distracts Vanitas, and he is rendered unconscious by Prédateur. While unconscious, Vanitas relives a memory of No. 71 taunting him for attempting to save vampires of the red moon and injuring himself in the process. In the memory, No. 71 asks Vanitas if he wants someone to die because of him again. When he regains awareness, Vanitas, still affected by the recollection, advises Noé to lock Prédateur in the library, leaving it to consume itself and die. However, Noé refuses to do so and insists they save the curse-bearer within it. With the chasseurs' aid, the pair make their way inside Prédateur's body and are able to extract the curse-bearer, saving him. In relief for their survival, Vanitas and Noé laugh, surprising Roland. After the group escapes an the laboratory's explosion, Roland helps the pair escape the catacombs, promising to turn the rescued vampires over to Count Orlok. At these actions, Maria confirms to herself that Roland's omission of Vanitas' identity in his earlier report was deliberate, but because Noé had saved her, agrees to Rolands request to lead the two to the surface. After they leave, another paladin, Olivier, arrives. Roland tells him that he made friends with a vampire, to Olivier's distress. The former confesses that the sight of a human and a vampire laughing and enjoying themselves had caused his earlier belief that humans and vampires could never understand each other to become disproved, exciting him. Oliver warns Roland not to relay these thoughts to anyone except him and expresses his frustration to Georges after Roland leaves. He states that Roland believes not in "God" but in "himself," a follower of God, and predicts that such a thing will lead to trouble. On the surface, Noé and Vanitas finally escape. Noé wants to ask Vanitas about No. 71; however, he decides not to when Vanitas says he is tired. Noé reflects that despite Vanitas' bravado, perhaps it is Vanitas himself who wishes to be saved. Elsewhere, Monsieur Spider blames Noé for the loss of Moreau's lab as well as the failed assassination attempt on Luca at the bal masqué. In front of a body immersed inside a tank, Lord Ruthven decides to personally deal with Noé. Characters *Olivier *Astolfo *Moreau* *Monsieur Spider *Lord Ruthven *Luca*}} Terms Gallery Coming Soon! Trivia * Alternate title: The Shape of Salvation * The title, Dos à Dos, is French for "Back to Back", a title used by Jun Mochizuki previously in Pandora Hearts with Retrace LV: Back to Back. * Dos à Dos introduces another of the Chasseurs' paladins, Olivier, who bears significant resemblance to Gilbert Nightray, also from Pandora Hearts. ** Furthermore, with the introduction of Olivier and the mention of Astolfo, it is apparent that the paladins of the Chasseurs are inspired by the paladins of Charlemagne from Matter of France, literature which is part of a series that is often associated with the history of France. Navigation Category:The Case Study of Vanitas Category:Manga